Gripping device



May 20, 1930. c. POWELL GRIPPING DEVICE Filed May 28. 192.8

3 SheetSheet 1 May 20, 1930. c. POWELL GRIPPING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Shet 2Filed May 28, 1928 r I gwunlioc (fairies fa ed,

C. POWELL GRIPPING DEVICE Filed May 278, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet a PatentedMay 20, 1930 cnaanns rowstnor nos mourns, :QALIFORNIA.

enrrrme DEVICE Application filed May 28,

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus to facilitate thehandling of well casing, tubing, or drill ipe sections as they are beinglowered or e evated with'respect to the well. I

The primary object of this invention is the provision of improved welldrilling apparatus embodying novel means to automatically operate theslip apparatus upon a rotary 1o drilling table in such a relation as topermit the expeditious and efiicient removal of pipe sections or theplacement thereof with respect to the well.

A further object of this invention is the provision of improvedapparatus to facilitate the removal of tubing,.casing, or drill pipesections with respect to the well, in such a relation that the grippingslips will beautomatically operated to grip a section should there be anaccidental lowering of the string of tubing or casing into the well.

A further object of this invention is the provision of improved slipgrip operating means for well drilling apparatus, embody- 2 ing meansoperable by the elevator at the end of the lowering of a section intothe well to cause a grip at the top of the section to hold the same inplace while the elevator is detached.

provision of novel means for opening and closing the jaw slips of tubeor pipe gripping means. i

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be a parent duringthe course of the following etailed description.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 is a plan-view of theimproved apparatus for handling spider slips for well drillingapparatus, showing the same as it appears during a pipe gripping andfsuporting operation 0 the slips.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken through the apparatus with the partsin the relative position illustrated in Figure 1.

Fi ure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showlng a spring for normallyholding the A further object of this invention is the slip aws in' aninoperative relation with re-- .1928. sci-a1 No. 281,272.

spect to the pipe being lowered or'elevated with respect to the well.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through details of theinvention at the top of the well, showing the jaws or slips in an openrelation with respect to the ipe, and in this respect distinguishingfrom igure 2.

Figure 5' is a side elevation, partly in section, showing how a portionof the operating means may be moved so as not to interfere with theenlarged joints connecting the pipe sections, and still permit the jawslips to op- I erate automatically for a gripping operation. Figure 6 isa plan view of an extensible pipe engaging and operating and which isulsed in connection with the operation of the s 1ps. v

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the jaw slips.

Figure 8 is a plan view of one of the slips. Figure 9 is a verticalsectional view taken through the upper central portion of the rotarywell drilling apparatus, showing the slips in their open relation and ina nonenga ing osi'tion with respect to the pipe 75 or tu ing einglowered, and showing means which Wlll cooperate with the elevator usedin lowering the pipe tube or section,to cause an operation of the slipsin a gripping relation with the section being lowered at the end of itsloweredmovement. I

Figure 10 is a plan view of the'elevatorengaging and jaw slip operatingpart of the invention. I

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of a detail of the apparatusshown in Figure 10.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only apreferred embodiment of the invention, the letter-A may generallydesignate the invention, which includes a base B, which in connectionwith rotary well drilling apparatus, will be the rotatable platform,upon which aset of slips C are operably disposed, having associatedtherewith means D to cause a uniform opening and closing jaw grippingand releasing movement with respect to the pipe, tube, or casing sectionF, as it operates within the base or rotary table 13. .Means K is usedin a 100 cooperating relation with the means D to cause an automaticclosing of the slips upon Pipe section incident to a direct engagementhe base B may be the ordinary rotary table, having the passagewatherethrough to receive the pipe sections This passagesoc et 16, inwhich the slip means operates 'durin a jaw grippin operation on the pipeF. T 'e upper part o f the base B has an enlarged socket 17, which ispreferably the uare seat ordinarily provided for the polygonal part ofthe drill stem bushings, as

will be well understood by those skilled in the art. V 7

While the invention is particularly directed 7 to apparatus for grippingand supporting the sect ons of drill pipes and the like, it is to beunderstood that certain features of the invention may be directed to thesup ort of tubing ings, the outer convex provided with a lon 'tudmallyextend gf therefor inwar and easing sections of wellrilling apparatus.

The slip means C-preferalily consists in the provision of four sli s,19, 20,21 and 22, each ofwhich is prefera ly the uadrant of anannularslip. They are of i entical formation, and as shown in Figure 7 of thedraw periphery 23 thereof is 24 whrigl'i is ildapte to (s1lide dovg rlwar ded upwa y a o a 1 e-way v pl'flyl 51y ofihe taperedsocke't 16,

as shown in Figure '4 of the drawings. This holds the slips againstrelative rotation'with respect to the rotary table B. In thickness 'theslips taper in a diminishing dimension downwardly, and the innerconcave'surfaces 28 thereof may be toothed or otherwise provided withmeans to insure a non-slip grip 'iupon the'pipe section which they areadapted to engage.

With reference to the means D which support the slips 0 for elevated andlowered movement with respect to the socket 16, for

' the slips 19, 20, 21 and 22 it is preferred to provide shafts 30, 31,-32 and 33; the shafts being rotatably mounted on fixed axes in .rightangled relation with respect to a line radially intersecting therespective slips mid-3' way between the side edges thereof. The operating shafts of opposite slips are arranged parallel, and the shaftsare each rotatably supported upon suitable end bearings 35 which may besuitably'bolted or otherwise secured upon the top surface of the base ortable B. At their proximate ends the shafts are provided with eitherfull or segmental way; has a downwardly convergin tapered.

bevel gears 39 to connect said shafts for syn-- I chronous operation.

way between the ends thereof, is preferably provlded with a right angledlever arm 40, keyed therewith as at 41, and extending ra- Each of theshafts 30 to 33 inclusive, middially totherespective slips adjacent saidshafts. At their free endsthe said levers 40 terminate adjacent their.respective slips, and are there provided with pairs of links 43,pivotedthereto as at 44, and depending In a downwardly convergentrelation towards the slips andbeing pivoted as at to lugs 46 prof J vied on the top of the slips, as shown in a various figuresof thedrawings.

For reasons to be subsequently described',

itis considered desirable that the slips be held 7 normally inoperativeand in a non-gripping relation with respect to tubing or piping sec- 4tions F being elevated or lowered with re-.

s ect to the well. T o thisend, on each of the s afts 30, 31, 32 and 33,I prefer to provide a spiral spring 50, having one end '51 thereofanchored in an adjacent bearing 3510f the respective shafts, and havingthe opposite end anchored upon acollar 52 whichis adjustably secured at53 on said shaft. It is readily apparent that the collar .52 shouldbesoadjusted that the expansive action of the 5 ring will tend to rotate theshaft so as to t row the operatinglever 40 upwardly and draw therespective slip out of operating relation against the socket 16, that.is, to the position illustrated in Figures 4 and 9 of the drawin s. Itis readi y apparent that in this position the slips 19 to 22 inclusiveare held out -.of r a gripping I relation. Inasmuch as the I aarerelatively powerful, and to P' n, :7

slips than is desirable, so that they are still in a position to havethe ribs 24. enter their respective grooves 27, I prefer toprovide alateral stop extension 55 upon one of the shafts 32, which engages thetop surface of 1 the base or table B when the slips are fully furtherupper movement. of the j i I opened, as shown in Figures 4 and 9 of thedrawings.

For cooperation with the means ,K, the

shaft 32 between the endsthereof and laterally of the lever 40 thereonis provided with a crank 60, having a throw which warrants the recessingof the top of the base or table B as shown at 61in the drawings.

Referring to the means K, the same preferably comprises an' extensiblearm construction 65, comprising sections 66 and 67 the former ofwhich istelescopic in'the latter, and Y the latter comprises a tube pivoted at68 upon a bracket 69 which is mounted in a preferably detachablerelation upon the top surface of the base or support B. In the tubularsecizt tion 67 is preferably disposed a spring 70,

'under compression and urging the sections 66 outwardly therefrom. Aconnection is established between the telescopic sections 66 and 67,which limits, the relative extension and collimits'of movement of thesection 66. The

- arm construction 65 is radially. disposed with respect to the axis ofthe slip socket 16, and it is also disposed laterally'in anon-obstructing' relation with respect to the operating arm 40 for theadjacent slip 21.-

Special heads 80 and 81 are provided for the outer end of the telescopicarm construction 65, depending upon whether the operation is that ofelevating or lowering the drill pipe sections. g Y f the drill pipesect-ions are being'elevated, the head 80 is used, which as is shown invarious figures of the drawings, consists of a substantially U-shapedbody 81, having the arms 82 and 83 rovided in spaced relation, and havinsur aces 84 and 85 which are diverent from the arm construction 65towards the free ends thereof. The body 81 between I the arms isprovided with an oppositely exthe pipe F to once. drawn from the well tothe extent-desired, the

tending lug 86, adapted'to receive a pin 84.

by means of which to pivot the head 80 between the fingers 88 at thebifurcated end of the sections 66 above described; Stop lugs 90 and 91are provided on the )arts 66 and 80 adjacent the pivot pin 87, forabutment to hold the part 80 against dropping below a straight line, orsubstantially a straight line position. p

As to the operation of the part 80, in connection with the means K,during a pipe elevating relation, the pipe F may be drawn upwardly thruthe wellopening and thru the open slips, and it is preferred that thememher 80 rest against the pipe during such withdrawin operation. The tothe pivoting of the mem er 80 upon the telescoping tube section 66 itmay ermit large joints, such as shown at 93 in Figure 5 of the drawings,of ass thereby, without interfer- When t e pipe section has beenwithaction of the elevator permits the pipe line to lower slightly intothe well, and due to the tapered relation of the faces 84 and 83 of thepipe gripping fork 80, the latter will frictionally engage in ananti-slip relation against the pipe F and this lowering of the alowering of the telescope sections of the arm construction 65. Inasmuchas the arm construction 65 rests against'the crank of the shaft 32, thesaid crank will be lowered as the operating means K is lowered, and ofcourse the turning of the crank 60 thru an arc will rotate all of theshafts 30 to 33 inclusive, and thru the arms 4.0 and links 43, the slips19 to 22 inclusive will be lowered to a seating relation in their socket16, and into a gripping relation with the pipesectio'n F, to engage andgrip the i I same while the pipe section thereabove ma be detached atits joint, in an operation whic is perfectly well understood in thisart. In order that the forked member 80 may be seated accurately on thepipe F to perform the functionabove outlined, it is preferred that theextensible arm construction 65 have some lateral play upon its pivot 68,that is, by rea- I son of a slightly loose connection.

When lowering a drill stem and adding sections thereto, for theoperation of the slips to hold the pipe line or drill stem while a newsection is added, the forked head 80 is replaced by the head 81 shown inFigures 9, 10

and 11 of the drawings. This head 81 comprises-a concavo oonvex body100, provided with an extension 101 which enters into the socket at thefree end of the telescopic outer section'66 of the extensible armconstruction 65, and a pin or like means 102 is used to hold the saidsection 81 in place. The extension 101 may be sufficiently long that itenters the socket at the end of the sliding section 66 so as to firmlyanchor the head 81 against pivotal action, so that it will always holdthe position shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. The

head 81 is such that when placed on the arm construction 65, with theslips in the inoperative relation shown in Figure 9, the head .81

of the arm construction 65 so as to move-the crank 60 of the shaft 32,and operate all of the slips for the clamping effect on the pipe F abovedescribed. The elevator M may then be detached from the pipe line whichis being held by the slip, and the weight of the drill stem or pipe linewill of course hold the slips in position against the normal action ortendency of the springs 50.. Whenthe new drill pipe orsection is inposition to be added to the drill line, and has been joined thereto, theelevator is placed upon the new pipe section in the proper relation andthe entire drill line or stem lifted slightly until the weight of'thesame is released from the slips sufficient to enable the springs 50 tothrow the slips open to the position shown in Figure 9.

It is apparent from the foregoing that a device has been provided whichoperates antomatically upon the means which opens and closes the slips,so as to permit of an automatic closing of the slips by reason of adropping inthe movement of the drill line, if the operation is that ofelevating the drill line to remove sections; or in case the operation isthat of lowering the drill line t e automatic closing of the slipsuponthe an engagement carried by the ase and adapted to engage the pipeandthe crank to operate the latter for.

operatin the slips into a gripping relation' wit the pipe upon downwardmovement of'the latter.

2. In apparatus of the class described a base member having a'pipepassageway therethnough, a lurality of gripping slips carried therebyand movable to engage and disengage the. pipe, means carried by the basefor elevating and lowering said slips into or out of gri ping relationwith respect to the pipe, an an extensible member movable on the baseand engaging the pipe and operating with said means to cause the slipsto en age the pipe upon a predetermined longitu inal movement of thepipe.

3. In apparatus of the class described a base member having a pipepassageway therethrough, slips operable in the passageway tuating saidshafts in one and movable to engage and disengage the pipe, a shaftrotatable upon the ase for each of the slips, means gearing said shaft-stogether, means connecting said shafts to the slips to cause the slipsto move into and out of gripping relation with the pipe upon rotation ofthe shafts and sprin means for acirection about their axes and normallymaintaining the slips out of pipe gripping relation in the base.

4. In apparatus of the class described a base member having a pipepassageway there through, slips operable in the passageway and movableto engage and disengage the pipe, a shaft rotatable upon the base foreach of the slips, means gearing said shafts together,

means connecting said'shafts to the slips to cause the slipsto move intoand out of gripping relation with the pipe upon rotation of the shafts,spring means normally tendingto maintain the slips out of pipe grippingrelation in the base, one of said shafts havingv a crank portion thereonbetween the ends,

and a member pivoted on thebase and engaging the pipe for permitting anupward movement ofthe pipe and adapted to move the crank to throwtheslips into engaging relakeyed with the shafts extending towards saidI slips, and links connected with said lever arms and with theslipswhereby upon movement of the shafts the slips thru said lever armsand linksmay be raised and lowered with respect to the passageway thruthe base into or out of gripping relation with the pipe receivedtherethrough.

6. In apparatus of the class described a base havin apipe passagewaytherethrough, slips opera le in the passageway for gripping andreleasing the plpe, a shaft rotatable on the base for each of the slips,lever arms keyed with the shafts extending toward said slips,

links connected with said lever arms and with the slips whereby uponmovement of the shafts the slips thru said lever arms and links may beraised and lowered with respect'to the passageway thru the base into orout-of gripping relation with the pipe received therethrough, springmeans 0 crating on the shafts to normally raise the s ips thereof out ofa pipe gripping relation, and means to automatically lower the slipsupon a downward movement of the pipe thru the passageway of the base.

7. .In apparatus of the class described a base havin a pipe passageway.therethrough,

slips opera Is in the passageway for movement to engage and disengagethe pipe, means carried by the base to raise and lower the slips into orout of gripping relation with the pipe, said means including a crank, anextensible arm comprising telescopic members, means pivoting one of saidmembers on the base, spring means urging the other member outwardly fromthe member which is pivoted on the base, and means carried by the outermember adapted to operate against a pipe which is being elevated fromthe base passageway, said extensible arm bearing against the crank abovementioned whereby should the pipe be lowered thru the base passageway,the extensible arm operating against the crank will cause the slips tomove into agripping relation with'the pipe and hold the same supported:upon the base against further lowered movement.

8. Inapparatus of the class described a base havin a pipe passagewaythcrethrough, slips operable in the passageway to engage or disengagethe pipe, means resiliently urging the slips to a disengaged relationwith the pipe, and a member pivotedon the base and adapted to operatesaid means to cause an automatic gripping ofthe sli s on thepredetermined lowering'o the pipe.

9. In apparatusof the class described a base P pe a having a pipepassageway therethroug'h, slips operable in the passageway to engage ordisengage the pipe, means resiliently urging the slips to a disengagedrelation with the pipe, means pivoted on the base and adapted to operatethe first mentioned means to cause an automatic gripping of the slips onthe pipe at a predetermined lowering of the pipe, said last mentionedmeans comprising resiliently extensible members having a pipe grippingfork pivoted on one end in such a relation that the pipe may be elevatedwithout operating the slips, but upon downward movement will cause theslips to engage the pipe.

10. In apparatus of the class described a base having a pipe passageway;slips movable in the pipe passageway to engage or disengage the pipe,and means to automatically operate the slips upon a lowering of the pipein the passageway including a member car- -ried by the base andoperating against the pipe, and adapted to grip the pipe in anonsliprelation only when the pipe is 'being lowered.

11. In apparatus of the class described, a base having a tapered sockettherein, a set of slips operable within thetapered socket,

means to resiliently urge the slips to an inoperative position withrespect to a pipe section extending through said socket, and means,including an operating part carried by the base and in direct engagementwith such pipe, for permitting an upward movement of the pipe andadapted upon downward movement of the pipe to throw the slips intoengaging relation with the pipe. I

12. In apparatus of the class described, a base having a tapered sockettherein, a set of slips operable Within the tapered socket,

means to resiliently urge the slips to an inoperative position withrespect to a pipe section extending through said socket, and aresiliently extensible member movable on the base and engaging the pipeand operating with said means to cause the slips to engage the pipe upona predetermined longitudinal movement'of the pipe.

' CHARLES POWELL.

